Hamster feeding: Dietary requirements

Your pet hamster requires a fairly regular diet consisting of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Your pet will be quite happy to be fed about once a day, usually in the early evening, when it is starting to wake up.
If you are using a seed-mixture from a pet store, remember that two tablespoons of food per night is more than adequate. Generally it's a good idea to purchase a good hamster food seed mixture at most pet stores.
You should supplement the seed diet with a regular mixture of fresh greens such as lettuce, raw green beans, and raw carrots. You should provide your hamster with only just enough greens for him to finish in 20 minutes. Any leftover greens should be removed from the cage.
If the hamster begins defecating more than normal, take him off the greens for two days, and then gradually introduce the greens back into his diet every other day for about 10 days. This should return its bowel movements to normal. Avoid making drastic changes in your pet's diet. If you decide to change your pet's regular diet, start by introducing the new diet a little at a time, mixed in with your pet's old diet. Gradually increase the amount of food supplied from the new diet, and decrease the amount of food from the old diet over the course of about two weeks. This will allow your pet's system the chance to get used to the new food.


LIQUID / WATER

Hamsters need a regular supply of fresh water. You should either provide a water bowl filled with fresh water daily, or you can use a small animal water bottle, available at most pet stores, that will allow you to only have to change the water once a week. If you decide to use a water bottle, be sure the tip is made from metal and not plastic, as your pet will chew through the plastic tip. This could possibly cause flooding in its cage. If you do decide to use a bowl, make sure it's relatively heavy, otherwise you run the risk of having your pet knock its water bowl over, and have no liquids available to him or her.


FOODS TO AVOID

Hamsters will generally eat anything. From collared greens, to lean meat and fish, their diet is really only restricted by what you feed it. Generally stay with the store bought mixtures, as they tend to provide the required proteins and minerals your pet needs to remain healthy. Use other foods only as a supplement to your pet's primary diet. Be absolutely certain to never, under any circumstances, give the following foods and/or liquids to your pet, as they can cause your pet to get very ill, or even kill it.

• Avoid Alcoholic Beverages.
• Alcohol can kill your pet hamster very quickly. You should not even try to give it a couple of drops of alcohol "just as a joke." This is very serious, and if you love your pet, you will avoid alcohol at all costs. Avoid Pickles.
• Pickles are yet another killer of hamsters. Actually, anything vinegar-based, such as pickles, will cause your hamster to suffer a quick death. Avoid Sticky Candy.
• Gum, gumballs, toffees, and caramels should all be avoided. These can stick in the hamster's pouch causing drooling, but can also get stuck in the throat and cause suffocation. Avoid Hard Candy.
• Such as lollipops, hot fireballs, sourballs etc. These can get lodged in your hamster's throat and cause suffocation. Avoid food that may have been touched by other animals.
• Any food that may have been touched by other animals, such as dogs or cats, or any food that has been left out uncovered should not be given to your hamster. Food touched by other animals may have been urinated on, which is poisonous to your hamster. Food left uncovered can have bacteria on it that can cause your hamster to get sick. Avoid Cheeses.
• Although cheese is a good source of protein, and your hamster will gobble it up quickly, it can lead to very smelly feces being left in the cage. This will cause you to have to clean the cage more frequently. Avoid Citrus Fruits.
• Although hamsters love fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons and lime, should all be avoided. Citrus fruits contain citric acid, which can make your hamster very ill or worse. Do Not Feed Your Hamster Foods that are meant for other animals.
  

Rabbit foods, for example, aren't very good for your hamster. Rabbits have a lower requirement for protein, and therefore, their food isn't actually good for your hamster. You should also keep in mind that some pet foods contain different ingredients that are specific to the type of pet that the food is intended for, and some of those ingredients can be harmful to your hamster.

One thing to keep in mind is that just because your hamster CAN eat almost anything, doesn't mean that it SHOULD. Meats and fish, although readily accepted by hamsters, can be a source of harmful bacteria that can make your pet ill. For the most part, it's best that you stick with the store bought mixtures.